Billy Donovan Endorsed by Bulls Exec Karnišovas, Says HC Needs 'Better Resources'

Despite a loss in the play-in tournament, it looks like the Chicago Bulls are intent on keeping Billy Donovan as the head coach.

Following the Bulls 112-91 loss to the Miami Heat that ended its season, executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas endorsed Donovan and said "the group hasn't worked" which is what has hurt the Bulls' chances of becoming a contender.

This was the second consecutive year Chicago had lost in the play-in tournament and the franchise has not won a playoff series since 2014-15.

Donovan has been with the Bulls since the 2020-21 season and has compiled a 156-162 overall record. He led Chicago to a 39-43 record in 2023-24, which earned it the No. 9 seed in the tournament.

He was notably a name floated as a potential replacement for John Calipari in Kentucky when Calipari departed for Arkansas. However, Kentucky would instead opt to hire BYU coach Mark Pope before the Bulls' season ended.

This means that Donovan should be expected to return to the Bulls in 2024-25, but getting more out of the team will be high on the bucket list. This may be a difficult task, considering Lonzo Ball's unclear future as a result of knee injuries and the potential for DeMar DeRozan to leave in free agency this Summer.

DeRozan has stated a desire to remain with Chicago but has said his priority is winning. Donovan and the Bulls have not done that consistently, so building a competitive team and developing a system will be crucial.